I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

That was the movement trajectory of the two men as they fled, especially the few movements of the leader turning around and disappearing into the mist, using the terrain to instantly vanish. He felt that there was a certain familiar, extremely subtle stylistic trace.

It's as if this guy has learned Taoist movement techniques, or is imitating a Taoist master.

Even with just a fleeting glimpse, someone of Zhang Yangqing's level could still discern the difference.

But the other side ran too fast, and the way they threw the 'smoke bomb' felt so familiar.

Therefore, Zhang Yangqing instinctively decided not to pursue them and let the two go.

After the two had adjusted their breathing and composure, they carefully concealed themselves again, lurking in the shadows like two real venomous snakes.

While the Undying Mountain was fraught with danger for them, with every step potentially leading to their demise, it also held unimaginable opportunities.

For example, the "leftovers" left behind after a battle between powerful beings, or something guarded by weak and eerie creatures that dare not show themselves for the time being because of the aura of powerful beings.

They came here hoping to find a bargain or a glimmer of hope.

Without a doubt, they were also outsiders to this world, having entered the Undying Mountain from a lower-level plane.

At the same time, Zhang Yangqing and his two companions had successfully descended to the lower part of the Undying Mountain, where the Reverse River, which stretched across the land and exuded a faint aura of death and reincarnation, reappeared before them.

The murky, dark yellow river flowed silently, and occasionally one could see some dilapidated, old-fashioned boats, like ghosts, slowly drifting across the river, carrying 'passengers' of all shapes and sizes, heading into the unknown depths of the mist.

Looking at the river, the chairman said, "I thought about it when we came here. I have basically figured out the types of boats and rules for crossing the upstream river. I have also calculated several possibilities for the types of boats we need to return and their possible locations. Once I find the right one, we can cross the river safely."

It can be said that, after this trip to the Immortal Mountain, the chairman has indeed made considerable progress in terms of detailed observation, rule analysis, and advance planning.

He had already taken into account and prepared for things that Zhang Yangqing hadn't mentioned.

However, Zhang Yangqing's gaze did not linger on the Reverse River. He looked further into the distance, into the seemingly deeper and more dangerous Undying Mountain Realm shrouded in a gray mist, and slowly shook his head.

“The place where we appear in this world is not necessarily the exit from this world,” Zhang Yangqing’s voice rang out calmly.

The chairman was taken aback, his brows immediately furrowing: "What do you mean? Didn't we come in from there? We can't go back the way we came? What do we do then?"

Zhang Yangqing withdrew his gaze and looked at the chairman and the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes who was barely supporting her body. He said, "Based on some scattered information and my own deductions, the 'passage' to leave the Undying Mountain Realm, or rather, to enter other realms or return to our original world, is very likely in the Forgotten River Lake."

This is no joke from Zhang Yangqing; Rule 6 is written very clearly.

[Rule 6: If you can't find your way back, go to the 'Lake of Oblivion' and try submerging your head at the bottom. You might see what you want to see.]

Since the rules state this, then the normal situation is definitely not going to happen.

Moreover, Zhang Yangqing had checked the area near the 'birth point' of Undying Mountain when he arrived, and indeed found no fluctuations.

"The Lake of Oblivion?" Both the chairman and the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes showed expressions of doubt and solemnity.

This name sounds even more ominous than the River Against the Current.

Zhang Yangqing nodded, his tone unusually solemn: "That's right, perhaps for us outsiders, Wangchuan Lake is one of the most dangerous places in this world." Hearing Zhang Yangqing speaking in riddles again, the chairman simply asked directly: "Brother, just tell us the truth, we'll listen to you."

He knew that in such a place, acting blindly was tantamount to suicide; Zhang Yangqing's judgment and the information he possessed were the key.

Zhang Yangqing didn't keep anyone in suspense and went straight through Rule 6.

Upon hearing this, both the chairman and the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes changed their expressions.

This rule sounds sinister!
"Submerge your head in the lake"? Isn't that suicide?

Zhang Yangqing seemed to see their confusion and continued to explain: "To meet the conditions of this rule and open the exit passage, there are two feasible methods."

He held up two fingers: "First, find or master a special technique or secret art in this world that can 'regenerate from a severed head.' In this way, you can use your own head as a 'key' to try to open the passage. Even if you fail, you can still survive by relying on the secret art."

At this point, Zhang Yangqing paused for a moment before continuing, "The second method is to cut off the heads of other outsiders and throw them into the Lake of Oblivion. We can then use their heads to try and see if we can open the exit for our departure."

Use other people's lives to pave the way, to be the key!

The chairman's pupils contracted slightly. Almost instinctively, he glanced at the frail, beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes beside him, his expression complex.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: Aren't you afraid? If you're not afraid, we'll use you as a key right now?
The beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes felt the chairman's cold gaze, and her body trembled almost imperceptibly, but a weaker smile appeared on her face, even with a hint of flattery and resignation.

Her voice was hoarse, but she tried her best to remain calm: "If you two brothers wanted to kill me, why did you have to say it? Since I have chosen to rely on you two, I will follow your wishes. If my head can be of any use, then it will be a good use of my resources and my trip will not have been in vain."

Her words were extremely humble, yet they also revealed a resigned clarity and a cunning probing.

She was gambling that Zhang Yangqing and the chairman wouldn't kill her yet.

After all, she had just taken a huge risk to pick the fruit of the immortal tree and completed the task "issued" by Zhang Yangqing. She should have put in some effort, right?

Based on her observation of Zhang Yangqing's style of doing things, this man, though cold-blooded, did not seem to be a purely bloodthirsty person who was completely devoid of compassion.

As long as you are still useful, or haven't crossed his bottom line, you should be safe for the time being.

Moreover, now that there's a second option, I can also help find other outsiders.

Zhang Yangqing did not respond directly to the beautiful woman with peach blossom eyes. He simply glanced at her with a deep, unreadable expression.

Then he turned to the chairman and said, “Stop teasing her. Let’s go and search along the upstream river. Since outsiders want to cross the river to come to the Undying Mountain, they must also cross the river to leave or go to other places. The dock is the place where they are most likely to gather and appear.”

The three of them said no more and continued downstream along the turbid riverbank.

The riverbank was rugged and uneven, filled with a faint, deathly mist. Occasionally, one could see some twisted plants or strange creatures crouching on the bank with empty eyes, but they all seemed to sense the faint, terrifying aura emanating from Zhang Yangqing and kept their distance.

We walked for about half a day, and this was just a rough estimate, because in the Undying Mountain Realm, the sense of time is very vague.

A huge and eerie silhouette gradually emerged from the gray fog ahead. (End of Chapter)